


I've loved you ten summers now (but I want 'em all)

by Kiire



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Hurt, Minor Character Death, Post-Canon, flashbacks during origins, soft smut i guess?, sort of but pre-trespasser
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 19:17:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20493914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiire/pseuds/Kiire
Summary: Small glimpses at the story of how Leliana and the warden fell in love, and their reunion after all those years.





	I've loved you ten summers now (but I want 'em all)

**Author's Note:**

> I just feel very strongly about brosca x leliana and needed to get this out. Let me know if I forgot to tag anything, and also I don't own these characters and locations.
> 
> hope yall enjoy!

Her whole body was shaking with anxiety, looking up at the gigantic fortress at the top of the mountain. "Chill boss, the Inquisitor may be famous but you're the one they call Hero." Tasha commented with a smirk.

The warden shoved her, rolling her eyes "You know that's not the point." 

"We know, just trying to get your mind off of it." Nami added, placing hands on her shoulders and squeezing lightly.  


Leliana was in there. After so long, she was right there.

_The flower was held carefully in her hand, but she felt like twisting and turning. Would it be okay? Would it be weird? Maybe Leliana would think it was creepy. Ancestors, why should she do it? She could just toss it on the ground now and be done with it. She could, but the way she had spoken… the longing in her eyes. Brosca knew it wouldn’t be badly received, but she was nervous. Giving things that weren't exactly necessary wasn’t something she was accustomed to._

_"Hello. Do you need anything?" Leliana asked when she saw her approaching._

_Her jaw tightened, and she tried to discreetly gulp down. "I found these. Thought you might like it." She raised the white flowers like they were made of glass._

_Leliana smiled a bit. "Flowers. Thank you, they are lovely." Her brow furrowed for a second, and she brought the flowers close to her nose. "These…" she paused, eyes wide. "that's her smell." she looked astonished at the gesture, rendered speechless._

__

_The warden smiled sheepishly. "Yeah well, I thought they were pretty and then Wynne told me their name and I remembered what you said to me." She shrugged, looking to the ground. Was it getting warmer?_

__

_The woman smiled shyly, mouth half hanging open, and pulled Brosca into a quick embrace. She could breathe easier now. “Thank you so much.” she said, smelling the flowers again. “It means a lot.”_

_ __ _

_ __ _

Somehow, her eyes always found Leliana. 

_ __ _

It had happened when she first entered that tavern in Lothering and was blown away by the mysterious red-haired woman in chantry robes wielding daggers as if they were part of her arms, but at the same time stood down without a second thought when the enemy surrendered.

_ __ _

It had happened whenever they were in a fight and the warden’s eyes would look for her quickly after slaying a foe, just a quick check. She would do it with all her friends, but she was always the first, somehow. 

_ __ _

It had happened in camp when both of them were keeping watch and stealing glances was inevitable, and maybe the other one wouldn’t notice, right? But they always did. 

_ __ _

So it was only natural when the big gates of Skyhold opened up for their approaching party that the first thing she saw were those lighting eyes in the shade of a purple hood. Her entire body was trembling, blood rushing, heart reeling. Ten years. Quinn took another step in her direction.

_ __ _

_“Have you ever heard the story of Alindra and her soldier?” Leli’s voice interrupted the silent night in a light whisper. It was their turn in keeping watch, and they were sitting down just on the edge of the camp._

_ _ __ _ _

_She had never even seen stars before getting out of Orzammar, but she was more than happy to hear the bard tell the tragic love story. Stories in Orzammar were often about the Paragons and the utilities they had brought to dwarven society, so it was calming to hear about something as abstract as… feelings. Besides, Leliana had a lovely voice, and she would get this glint in her eyes when she told a story that Brosca had a soft spot for._

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

_“I wonder if such a love exists.” Leliana commented, staring at the dark ahead of them. She sounded jealous. “Something so pure.”_

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _

_She stared at the stars in the sky. So much like lyrium veins back at the Thaig. She was glad she did not have to sleep tonight, because she hated sleeping under the open sky. “I think so.” she answered, not knowing if the woman was even expecting one. “There is a void above our heads, and somehow there are glowing things sticking to it.” she shrugged, chuckling. “I think so many things exist in this world. Why couldn’t love like that exist too?”_

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

_Leliana was staring at her curiously, and the warden shrugged again. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ When they unconsciously shifted closer that night as the conversation went on, she didn’t know if it was because of the cold or their bodies being drawn to one another, and she could not care less - the slight brushes of their hands sent electricity through her veins and she was content in letting it happen._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Caridin took off the second he sniffed the air. The Inquisitor was stood in front of the crowd, the advisors behind her, but Brosca’s eyes couldn’t see anything besides the woman that had permeated her thoughts for more than a decade. Caridin barked happily and jumped Leliana slightly.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She could not hold a smile as the so familiar image of Leliana trying to stop her Mabari from climbing on top of her was presented right in front of her two eyes, almost like an illusion.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_The warden impaled another darkspawn, and Morrigan shocked the other two ones in front of them. Their staggering made it easy for Sten to behead them in a quick arch of his enormous sword. Leliana’s arrows got the genlock that had been firing at them from a distance, and he toppled over. A surprised yelp made her turn around, and suddenly there was a blighted wolf on top of the archer._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Her body jolted into action, and Morrigan immediately freezed the target. With a bash of her shield, she shattered the ice and the wolf slumped on top of their fallen teammate._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ “Are you okay? Do you have any scratches?” Brosca quickly pushed the body aside, touching her arms and face and all skin exposed checking for marks of where the blight wolf could have gotten her._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“I’m fine. Really!” she chuckled. The warden did not find it amusing, but Leliana held her hand and squeezed it. “You guys got it right on time. It didn’t touch me.”_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_She breathed more easily, seating beside her. Sten raised a brow at the display but said nothing. It worried her when the darkspawn got too close. She remembered Caridin, tainted before she found the flowers that could cure him. She remembered Daveth falling forward and clutching his neck as if it was burning him. She and Alistair were immune to that now, but the others..._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_They could always be the next one infected, and she would do her best to get everyone out of this sodding situation she had placed them in._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her mouth was entirely dry. The Inquisitor introduced herself, with a polite smile and a stretched hand. The warden took it, returning the introduction, but her mind was elsewhere - just a few paces behind this elf, where Caridin was sitting down happily and had a hand scratching his ear.

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“These are Tasha, Nami and Casryen. They have been with me for some time now.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Andaran atish’an” she said to Casryen, a content smile in seeing another dalish. Brosca decided it was better she thought that. “And welcome, all of you.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Aneth ara.” Casryen returned, genuinely surprised at the greeting. Tasha and Nami returned it equally.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Arrows and energy bolts flew above her head, but she did not have the strength to get up. She felt her energy leaving her along with her blood, and numbness taking over._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ “Maker take you!” she heard Leliana yell from somewhere she couldn’t spot. Next thing she knew there were hands cradling her head, Morrigan doing some spell to stop the bleeding. Zevran had his daggers up, looking around for more signs of danger. “Always the hero, huh?” he commented with a nervous laugh. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Stupid! Why would you jump in front of him?” Leliana’s voice was shaking, and Morrigan’s face was of utter concentration. Brosca just smiled at her. The spear and following arrows would have gotten Morrigan in the back if she hadn’t interfered. She would not have come back from that, she was sure. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“We need to get her to Wynne. Now.” the witch’s voice was dark. Morrigan’s eyes were strangely worried, something the warden wasn’t used to seeing. “Thank you.” she whispered so that only they both could hear. She let her eyes close. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Leliana helped Wynne bandage her up when they were in camp, and when she supported Quinn back to her tent, she held on just a bit more tightly. “Do you have a death wish I wasn’t aware of?” The warden sat down holding the bandages, face distorting in discomfort, but she laughed._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"With the mission I agreed to, it would seem so." she proceeded to shake her head. “But Morrigan would have been impaled. I couldn’t let that happen.” the truth was that Brosca cared a lot for Morrigan; they had a lot in common, with their background and their visions of the world that didn't quite align with the normal. She knew they had each other’s back, and the warden did not want to fail her._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Leliana shook her head, and suddenly her lips were on Quinn’s. Pain, breath, light… everything just faded, and all she could feel were those soft lips planted firmly against hers. Her stomach churned and her heart was beating right out of her chest, that discreet scent the only thing that her brain could process. It felt like purifying her lungs. When she pulled back, her expression was the most beautiful thing the warden had ever seen. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Don’t die. Not right now.” she murmured softly, eyes on the ground. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Quinn smiled, taking Leliana’s hand in hers. “I won’t.”_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The Inquisitor was introducing her advisors, as formality demanded, but she stopped on Leliana, not knowing exactly what to say. “I believe you know each other.” 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The warden was about to take a step in her direction, finally able to get out of the leader’s protocols, not caring much what she would think, but she noticed Leliana’s hand were fists on her side now that Caridin had returned to her. “It’s good to see you again.” she let out carefully.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“This brand…” Leliana started slowly. Everyone knew that that subject was off-limits for the warden, and no one had dared approach it; but now, looking at the faces in Dust Town, all of them with variations of the same mark… she thought back to Tug and shivered. He had had the same brand._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ Brosca’s lips pursed and her eyes hardened. She did not look any of them in the eye when she started speaking. “It’s our sign. To remind us, and them, that we’re casteless, unworthy of the Stone.” she shook her head. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“How do they-” Alistair sounded outraged._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“You don’t want to know.” Brosca cut him off harshly. She thought back to laughs, touches, punches, the knives, and the steel. Her body trembled and she tightened her jaw. Leske’s bloody body after he had been branded, Rica’s shaky walk and torn lips. Now was not the time to think about that, really wasn’t, not when her childhood shack was being used by the Carta._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Leliana caressed her cheek, right above the brand. The warden fixated her eyes on her. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Yeah. Me too.”_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Later, when the battle against the Carta was over, she fell over Leske’s still warm body in tears. She thought back to shared foods, learning to fight together, her first kiss with him, Leske watching over Rica when she was younger, standing up for them when Kalah would come home with only harsh words and harsh hands. Why had he made her do it?_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Zevran, Alistair and Wynne placed their hands on her back, and pulled her into a hug. “He was my best friend.” she let out weakly, limbs trembling._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_They took his body and buried him, away from the prying authorities who would not allow casteless to return to the Stone. That night, Leliana held her silently, as she let out all the stories she could remember, as she blamed Rica for not taking him with her to Diamond Quarter, as she screamed into nothingness about how he could have laid his daggers down, as she sobbed knowing he was only doing what had to be done. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And you, Warden-Commander.” she heard just the slightest quivering in those words, and the world was brighter. Her voice, that orlesian accent Brosca would go to the ends of the world to hear.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Josephine elbowed Cassandra. More than ever, the spymaster’s hood seemed to shadow her expression, as if she was purposefully hiding it. Brosca understood that she did not wish to share something so intimate from her life in front of a crowd, but all she wanted to do was kiss her until neither could breathe anymore. She held back. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They had time now. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Leliana’s body trembled, her hands tangled in Quinn’s hair and holding on for life itself. Even biting her lips, the sounds that managed to get out were absolutely filthy and the warden just could have kept where she was, doing what she was doing, for the rest of her tainted life. Her tongue flickered purposefully once more, fingers working with passion. Her hips buckled and her body froze. The warmth on the warden’s lower half only grew stronger at the sight._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_When her lover’s body stilled, she kissed her thighs lightly, hands slowly caressing her legs. Languidly, she raised herself, kissing her pale stomach all the way up to her neck, her throat, and finally catching her lips. Leliana reached for her waist with one hand and her nape with the other, yanking her closer, bodies crashing together._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Quinn couldn’t help her smile, because she was so happy. The world was ending, everyone was so tired, and hurt, and they were doing the best they could with so much adversity, and still… her nose brushing against Leliana’s, their naked bodies entangled in a perfect embrace, she wouldn’t trade it for anything._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Before she could do something else, the bard spun them around, pinning her against the bedroll. Grinning like a devil, she kissed the warden’s mouth, savoring every second of it, tongues brushing against her lips and then against her tongue. She bit it lightly, dragging and letting it go to toy with her earlobe and suck on her neck. In those situations, Brosca forgot how to breathe._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Leliana’s hand snaked her way, scraping through her abdomen and her thighs and touching her where she was most sensitive, kissing her breasts softly. With her head thrown back and panting, she could see the Brecillian forest sky from a hole in their tent, but it wasn’t as scary anymore. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Happiness. Maybe she could do that. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Even when introductions were over, the crowd took longer to dissipate, because everyone wanted to take a peek at the fabled Hero of Ferelden. The one who had killed an archdemon and lived to tell the story. Her companions could not keep their grins, because, for weeks, all their leader could talk about was finding Leliana again, and now social formalities kept them apart. “After a ten year dry, she is finally getting some.” Nami let out exaggeratedly, like a proud mother. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She has grown so much.” Tasha kept the act, tapping Nami comically on the shoulder.

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It was a dumb joke, since they knew neither her nor Leliana had kept celibate this entire time. Still, as the warden smiled and made her way inside the fortress, all she could think about was Leliana’s touch. The one thing her thoughts always went back to, the one her brain could not forget.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_“I love you.” the confession came the night before the battle. She kept her eyes glued on Leliana’s as she said it because she needed her to understand it fully._

_They were lying down, her hand held the bard’s cheek carefully, as if she could slip away and disappear. Leliana snuggled closer, brushing their noses together and resting her forehead against Quinn’s. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“I love you.” she said back, hand slipping in the warden’s waist, holding her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. Tears fell quietly in her eyes._

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_She let out a shaky breath. “No matter what happens tomorrow, I… I want you to know, you are one of the best things to have happened to me.” The warden thought back to everything that had happened in her life, and it was true. Coming topside had been the change of a lifetime, and she had made friends and relationships she could not begin to describe. Feeling what she felt whenever her eyes would linger on her lover, that was one of the greatest privileges of all. _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“You…” Leliana’s voice faltered. “You can’t begin to comprehend what you mean to me.” she shook her head, noses brushing. Thoughts of taking care of one another, songs by the campfire, nights under the starlight, the support when Marjolaine came back, the soft touches surrounded by their friends. “Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I have ever done.”_

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_Their mouths met halfway, and in that night, everything was in the air. Naked bodies in unison, kisses wherever they could reach, touches as strong and as tender as they came. Caress’ and small bites, tiny laughter, hugs, meaningful chatter. It was sacred, what they had, and she would give everything to be able to keep by her side, until her last breath._

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_It was as wonderful as it was bittersweet, and she was ready._

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Josephine led the warden to Leliana’s quarter. “If I may, Warden-Commander, I am glad to see you here.” the ambassador spoke, surprising her. “Leliana told me a lot about you and it’s… I think it will be good to have you around.”

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She smiled at the advisor. “I don’t think I get to have that title anymore.” Her mind flashed with the menacing creatures roaming the gigantic forest, the strange elven folk who had been living there, slowly learning to trust each other, the majestic glow that had surrounded the trees when they started chanting. The calling slowly gone from her head. 

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“Is it alright to ask how you did it?”

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Quinn bit her lip slightly. “There are places no one from our time has touched yet. But I did not think it was a very good idea to bring them here.” she shook her head. “We are not ready for what they do.” she thought about Casryen and kept her mouth shut.

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_Traveling with Leliana was almost like a daydream. Not having the pressing task of saving the world at their backs an odd relief to the day to day life. Morrigan’s disappearance, even if it had been warned by the witch herself, hit the warden hard, and moving from place to place did well to keep her mind from it. It also felt really good to explore Thedas with a bard who knew so much about it, especially now that they could just act carelessly on their afection and don't care about others. Receiving mail from Alistair about how the order had been slowly rebuilding, and how she owned him for leaving it all to him was also fun. _

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_Once in a while, their paths crossed with Zevran and they spent days in parties and conversation. They met Wynne and Shale for a while, and Quinn was glad to see the witch doing okay - she meant more to her than people could tell, probably. They found Bodahn and Sandal on a port once, ready to sail for Kirkwall._

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_They were in Ferelden again when Mhairi found them, claiming to have an urgent Warden business that would need the warden’s attention. “We were given Vigil’s Keep to make a Warden fortress, and you are to be named Warden-Commander.”_

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_Halfway to Amaranthine, Leliana received the letter from the Grand Cleric, demanding an audience. “We’ll be together in no time.” Quinn said, shrugging and holding her lover’s hands._

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_“I know.” Leliana caressed Brosca’s hair, pecking her on the lips. “You go do your wardening, I’ll join you and tell you all about the audience later._

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_“In no time.” Quinn repeated with a smile, holding Leliana in a deep kiss._

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When she opened the door, they just stared at each other for an instant, slow smiles creeping up their faces. That familiar faint scent surrounded the warden in those chambers, and she hadn’t breathed this easily in years. In the blink of an eye, Leliana’s arms were around her and she was being raised from the ground. Her embrace kept her love as close as physically possible. 

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“No time…” Leliana muttered in her ear. Quinn’s eyes watered and tears started falling. “Took you long enough.”

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“Ten sodding years.” she chuckled and pecked her love continuously all over her face. “But we have the rest of our lives now.” She joked.

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And then she realized it wasn’t a joke. They broke slightly apart, facing each other in silent awe. Leliana had the bluest eyes the warden had ever seen, and the tears made them glow. Her high cheekbones were more marked, and she made a mental note to ask if she had been eating properly. Her red hair was slightly longer, messier - and she liked it a lot. Those rose-colored lips stretched in a bright smile.

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they rested their foreheads together, breaths mixing. “The rest of our lives sounds really good.” Leliana murmured, and kissed her properly. The feeling of her lips again made her insides melt, her head explode, her legs shake. The kiss deepened and it was a mess, with teary laughs and smiles and grabbing each other's faces to make sure they wouldn’t disappear, but it was everything she had longed for.

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“I love you.” she said. “I love you. I love you. I missed you so much.” she repeated, and it sounded like a chant. Leliana shivered.

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“You are the love of my life.” the spymaster breathed out, holding her face like a preciosity. She knew it was true.

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No matter what had happened in those ten years, who they had met, who they had been with, spent the night with, fallen in and out of love with… it was always them. At the back of each other's mind, in their darkest and purest and filthiest thoughts. The two of them. Their lips together, hands linked, bodies tangled, voices ringing through their ears, smells just at the tip of their noses.

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Falling in bed together after so long still felt as natural as it had always been. Their kisses molded each other perfectly, their touches hitting right spots they already knew about, and learning of new ones they hadn’t known back then, their sounds the greates melody. Were they someone else, they would not have wished to be within earshot of them that night, because she loved her and it finally didn't feel like an ache in the back of her heart.

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"How was your night, Leliana?" the Inquisitor commented with a smirk, seeing a dark mark just below her jaw on a war table meeting. They had teased her so many times when it came to Josephine, it felt only right.

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She noticed the change in Leliana’s demeanor in the following days. She actually saw her smile once - a full smile with teeth showing - when the former warden was training recruits and defeated Cullen, making him fall on his ass. Maybe the spymaster had a new small glow where there was only shadow before, and it made everyone around her brighter. 

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One day, Sera teased her about it, and instead of being immediately shut down, Leliana only chuckled and went to give a kiss in the Hero’s cheek. Sera was left radiating cheeriness the rest of the day, and suddenly, whenever the group got together for drinks, they would bug poor Josephine endlessly, asking about stories of the pair that the spymaster might have told her. Who Leliana had been back when they met? How it had happened? What were they in those long years apart? 

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Josephine confided in her, though, when they were going over some letters in bed. Told her some things about how it had all happened, how Leliana had changed over the years and how she could feel her friend lighter, younger, now that Quinn Brosca was here. The weight on her shoulder no longer that heavy.

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Leliana shot her a glare over the war table, but it was more bark than bite. Josephine smiled.

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"It was good, Inquisitor.”

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End file.
